Stephen Curry marks his return, Durant spoils the party

Two months on the sidelines weren’t enough to slow down Stephen Curry on his return Sunday night to the Golden State Warriors lineup. The superstar put up 29 points in just 26 minutes of play in a home loss to Kevin Durant‘s Houston Rockets, falling 117-116 in a breathtaking finish at Chase Center.

Curry missed 27 consecutive games due to a right knee injury, with his first absence coming on January 30 against Detroit. The 38-year-old guard entered the game to a standing ovation from the fans with 4 minutes and 54 seconds left in the first quarter, marking his first regular-season appearance off the bench since March 7, 2012.

A historic return despite the loss

Despite the playing time restriction imposed by the coaching staff, Curry immediately found his rhythm. He finished the game with an impressive 11-of-21 shooting, including 5-of-10 from three-point range, adding four assists and two rebounds. The point guard also hit his 9,000th career basket, becoming the 26th player in NBA history to reach that milestone.

The evening was also historic for another reason: Stephen and Seth Curry played together in the NBA for the first time, marking the first time two brothers have worn a Warriors jersey in franchise history.

Curry shone in the key moments, particularly in the third quarter where he scored 11 points and contributed to an 11-0 run to bring the Warriors back into the game. His clutch three-pointers in the final minutes allowed Golden State to pull within one point, before Gary Payton II gave the Warriors the lead on a fast break with 20 seconds remaining.

STEPH CURRY PUTS THE MOVES ON KD

FILTHY. 😮‍💨🔥 pic.twitter.com/hdNXZDC4OK

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) April 6, 2026

Durant and Sengun deliver for Houston

Kevin Durant dominated against his former team with 31 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists. The Rockets forward hit a crucial three-pointer with 2 minutes and 10 seconds remaining, before finding Alperen Sengun for the game-winning basket with 11 seconds left on the clock.

Sengun finished with 24 points and seven assists, while all five Houston starters reached double figures. This sixth consecutive win allows the Rockets to solidify their fifth-place standing in the West.

Curry had one last chance to tie it with a three-pointer at the buzzer, but his shot missed. This fourth consecutive loss keeps the Warriors in tenth place in the Western Conference with a record of 36 wins and 42 losses, condemning them to the play-in tournament for the third consecutive season.

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